(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information display device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a FAX machine or the like, and having a function of displaying operation procedure information for guidance with an image or the like.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
High-function and high-performance copying machines have been commercialized to meet the demand in the market, on the other hand, however, the construction of the apparatus becomes complicated, and there is a possibility that the apparatus becomes difficult to use for persons who do not use it very often.
Moreover, in convenience stores and the like, a copying machine is provided as a copying service, and anyone who has not utilized it before can use it very easily. Here, it should be provided as an apparatus which can be used easily by anyone.
In such situations, copying machines which mount a big display device in an operation panel, and has a function of kindly informing the procedure information with pictures, messages or the like have been recently commercialized. Thereby, these apparatus can be utilized at ease by providing an user information such as pictures and messages regarding many devices on a big display section, so as to be easy to understand.
However, if lots of guidance information is to be displayed on a big display section so as to be easy to understand, it is necessary to prepare in advance lots of display image information, increasing the capacity of a memory for storing the display image information to thereby impose a large burden thereon in terms of cost. On the other hand, if the display information displayed on the display device is simplified (reduced), the guidance information becomes here and there to be difficult to understand, and there will be no sense in mounting a big display device.
The present inventor has disclosed a display device, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 11 No. 15400, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 11 No. 134160 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 11 No. 134156, wherein a large liquid-crystal display panel is mounted on an operation panel so as to display a sketch drawing of the device and peripheral devices approximately in the central portion thereof and information regarding the devices in the vicinity thereof, and when a status change of the device occurs, the information to be transmitted to a user is displayed on the display device as image information including message information, while sequentially changing the display, to thereby lead the user. However, with this device, there is a possibility that a user who does not understand the device sufficiently may be confused, when the screen display information that has been displayed is changed over to new screen display information.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a low price information display device which can reliably display for guidance information to be transmitted, without increasing the capacity of a memory for storing the image information.
With a view to achieving the above object, the gist of the present invention is constituted as follows.
A first gist of the present invention is an information display device comprising: a display section for displaying guidance information of operation to an operator, regarding an equipment to be operated; a guidance information control section for storing and controlling a plurality of the guidance information to be displayed on the display section; and a display control section for selectively displaying the guidance information controlled in the guidance information control section on the display section.
The guidance information is characterized in that it includes a sketch drawing of the equipment to be operated and status information representing a status change of the equipment to be operated, and when a status change occurs in the equipment to be operated, the display control section displays the status information with respect to the status change, by overlapping the status information on a portion of the sketch drawing where the status change occurred.
According to the first gist of the present invention, a sketch drawing of an equipment to be operated and status information representing a status change of the equipment to be operated are displayed on the display section. Here, the status information is message and image information showing the status and operation of the equipment to be operated. When a change occurs in the status of the equipment to be operated, the status information is overlapped and displayed on a portion of the sketch drawing where the status change occurred. Hence, an operator can easily understand in which portion a status change occurred. Therefore, the operator can easily understand which operation should be performed.
A second gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the first invention, characterized in that the display control section displays the status information so as to leave at least a part of the sketch drawing.
According to the second gist of the present invention, by displaying the status information so as to leave a part of the sketch drawing, the sketch drawing is not hidden by the status information, and it becomes easy to confirm which part of the equipment to be operated the status information shows.
A third gist of the present invention is an information display device comprising: a display section for displaying guidance information of operation to an operator, regarding an equipment to be operated; a guidance information control section for storing and controlling a plurality of the guidance information to be displayed on the display section; and a display control section for selectively displaying the guidance information controlled in the guidance information control section on the display section.
The guidance information is characterized in that it includes a sketch drawing of the equipment to be operated and status information representing a status change of the equipment to be operated, and when a status change occurs in the equipment to be operated, the display control section displays the status information with respect to the status change in the vicinity of a portion of the sketch drawing where the status change occurred.
According to the third gist of the present invention, by displaying the status information in the vicinity of a portion of the sketch drawing where the status change occurred, the portion of the sketch drawing corresponding to the status information can be seen by an operator. Hence, the operator can easily confirm which portion of the equipment to be operated the status information shows.
A fourth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the first or third gist, characterized in that the status information is a partially enlarged diagram of a portion of the device where a status change occurred.
According to the fourth gist of the present invention, since the status information is a partially enlarged diagram of a portion of the device where a status change occurred, it is quite obvious to the operator what is the status information, and the operator can easily understand.
A fifth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the first or third gist, characterized in that the status information is a plurality of transition display information regarding a method of handling the portion where the status change occurred, and the plurality of transition display information are transitionally displayed approximately in the same position in the sketch drawing.
A sixth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the fourth gist, characterized in that the status information is a plurality of transition display information regarding a method of handling the portion where the status change occurred, and the plurality of transition display information are transitionally displayed approximately in the same position in the sketch drawing.
According to the fifth and sixth gist of the present invention, since the plurality of transition display information, that is, the status information showing the handling method is transitionally displayed approximately in the same position in the sketch drawing, the handling procedure and the status change are displayed in a state of dynamic image to the operator, making it easy to understand for the operator how to handle it.
A seventh gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the first or third gist, characterized in that the sketch drawing is maintained and displayed in a predetermined position on a display screen area of the display section.
An eighth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the fourth gist, characterized in that the sketch drawing is maintained and displayed in a predetermined position on a display screen area of the display section.
A ninth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the fifth gist, characterized in that the sketch drawing is maintained and displayed in a predetermined position on a display screen area of the display section.
According to the seventh to ninth gist of the present invention, the sketch drawing is maintained and displayed in a predetermined position on the display screen area of the display section, and is not moved. Therefore, if the position is moved even in the same sketch drawing, an operator tends to confirm if there is any change, but since there is no movement in the position, it is not necessary for the operator to perform such wasteful confirmation. Moreover, when the status information is displayed, the operation can confirm the portion immediately.
A tenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the first or third gist, characterized in that the display forms of the sketch drawing and the status information are respectively different.
An eleventh gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the fourth gist, characterized in that the display forms of the sketch drawing and the status information are respectively different.
A twelfth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the fifth gist, characterized in that the display forms of the sketch drawing and the status information are respectively different.
According to the tenth to twelfth gist of the present invention, by displaying the sketch drawing and the status information in a different display form (color, density, etc.), these can be easily identified. Hence, the operator can quickly understand the position and the content of the status information.
A thirteenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the tenth gist, characterized in that the status information is displayed on the display section in a state of being emphasized than the sketch drawing.
A fourteenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the eleventh or twelfth gist, characterized in that the status information is displayed on the display section in a state of being emphasized than the sketch drawing.
According to the thirteenth and fourteenth gist of the present invention, the status information is displayed on the display section in a state of being emphasized than the sketch drawing, so that the operator can easily identify it.
A fifteenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the tenth gist, characterized in that the difference of the display form on the display section of the sketch drawing and the status information can be optionally set.
A sixteenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the eleventh or twelfth gist, characterized in that the difference of the display form on the display section of the sketch drawing and the status information can be optionally set.
According to the fifteenth and sixteenth gist of the present invention, the difference of the display form on the display section of the sketch drawing and the status information can be optionally set, depending upon the environment of the place where the apparatus is installed, such as the level of a person who uses the device (the understanding level of the device), etc.
A seventeenth gist of the present invention is an information display device comprising: a display section for displaying guidance information of operation to an operator, regarding an equipment to be operated, including a plurality of image information showing a status change of the equipment to be operated; a guidance information control section for storing and controlling the guidance information to be displayed on the display section; an image forming section for forming, from at least two static image information showing a status change of the equipment to be operated, at least one interpolated image information corresponding to the state during the status change; and a display control section for selectively displaying on the display section, the guidance information controlled in the guidance information control section and the image information formed in the image forming section. It is characterized in that a series of operation procedure can be informed by displaying the image information sequentially in response to the operation of an operator.
According to the seventeenth gist of the present invention, the image forming section forms, from two static image information, at least one interpolated image information corresponding to the state during the status change, and displays the image information sequentially, in response to the operation of the operator, to thereby enable display of the information regarding the device in a dynamic image. The operator has only to perform operation in accordance with the information, hence the operability is improved. Moreover, since this operation can be accomplished by using a memory area for controlling the static image serving as a point and a work memory area for temporarily storing the image formed from the static image, the total memory capacity can be made small.
An eighteenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the seventeenth gist, characterized in that the guidance information control section stores and controls static image information in which the display position of a portion not interpolated and displaced is fixed and the display position of a displaced portion is changed in the image forming section.
According to the eighteenth gist of the present invention, the static image information controlled in the guidance information control section fixes the display position of a portion not interpolated and displaced and changes the display position of a displaced portion. Therefore, the formed image can be obtained only by changing the display position of the displaced portion, making the movement smooth. Since the image forming section has only to perform processing of the portion where the position thereof changes, processing of image formation becomes simple, enabling improvement of the processing speed.
A nineteenth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the seventeenth gist, characterized in that the guidance information control section controls the information by dividing them into background image information in which there is no change on the display position, and changed image information in which the display position changes, and the image forming section forms at least one interpolated image information from at least two changed image information, corresponding to the state during the change, and synthesizes the interpolated image information with the background image information.
According to the nineteenth gist of the present invention, by utilizing the background image information controlled in the guidance information control section and the changed image information, the image forming section forms at least one interpolated image information from the changed image information, corresponding to the state during the change, and synthesizes the interpolated image information with the background image information. Therefore, the guidance information control section has only to store the background image information and the changed image in the memory, and there is no need to store the interpolated image information, hence the memory capacity can be made small.
A twentieth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the seventeenth gist, characterized in that the guidance information control section controls the information by dividing them into background image information in which there is no change on the display position, and displacement data of a portion where the display position changes, and the image forming section forms a partially interpolated image information representing the displaced state, based on the displacement data, and synthesizes the partially interpolated image information and the background image information.
According to the twentieth gist of the present invention, the guidance information control section controls the information by dividing them into background image information in which there is no change on the display position, and displacement data of a portion where the display position changes. The displacement data refers to data regarding movement (displacement) of partial image information, such as direction of movement of the display position and distance of movement of the display position. Therefore, the guidance information control section has only to store the background image information and the displacement data in the memory, and there is no need to store the interpolated image information, enabling reduction of the memory capacity.
A twenty-first gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the seventeenth gist, characterized in that a guidance information control section is provided also in a peripheral equipment connected to the equipment to be operated, and the peripheral guidance information control section controls at least two static image information showing a status change of the peripheral equipment, and the image forming section forms at least one image information corresponding to the image during the status change from the the at least two image information.
According to the twenty-first gist of the present invention, a guidance information control section is provided also in a peripheral equipment, and the peripheral guidance information control section stores and controls static image information. Therefore, when the peripheral equipment is connected to the equipment to be operated, the static image stored and controlled in the peripheral guidance information control section is sent out to the image forming section, and the image forming section forms an interpolated image based on the static image. Hence, the equipment to be operated does not need to control the image regarding the peripheral equipment, and has only to control the static image regarding the equipment to be operated, enabling reduction of the memory capacity.
A twenty-second gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the twenty-first gist, characterized in that the static image information controlled in the peripheral guidance information control section is image information including the equipment to be operated and a peripheral equipment.
According to the twenty-second gist of the present invention, the static image information controlled in the peripheral guidance information control section is image information including image information of the equipment to be operated and a peripheral equipment, therefore, with regard to a peripheral equipment added as an option, it is not necessary to take out the image information thereof from the guidance information control section of the equipment to be operated. The image formation can be performed using the static image information controlled in the peripheral guidance information control section. Hence, it becomes possible to display for guidance with a simple processing, using appropriate display image information.
A twenty-third gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the twenty-first gist, characterized in that the static image information controlled in the peripheral guidance information control section is preferentially displayed as new image information, without invalidating the image information corresponding to the equivalent portion controlled in the guidance information control section.
According to the twenty-third gist of the present invention, the peripheral equipment added as the option can be attached to or detached from the equipment to be operated. Since the static image information controlled in the peripheral guidance information control section is preferentially displayed as new image information, without invalidating the image information corresponding to the equivalent portion controlled in the guidance information control section, even if the peripheral equipment is detached therefrom, only the static image information of the peripheral equipment is deleted, so that the dynamic image display can be performed by the equipment to be operated alone.
A twenty-fourth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to any one of the first, third or seventeenth gist, characterized in that the guidance information control section is provided in the equipment to be operated, the image forming section is provided outside of the equipment to be operated, and the image information in the guidance information control section is transmitted to the image forming apparatus to thereby form an image.
According to the twenty-fourth gist of the present invention, the image forming section is, for example, a personal computer or a host computer, provided outside of the equipment to be operated. Therefore, it is not necessary to install the image forming section in the equipment to be operated, enabling reduction of the number of parts, and hence reduction in cost. Moreover, since a dedicated image forming section is provided externally, a burden on the operation processing of the equipment to be operated can be reduced, enabling improvement of the processing efficiency. Furthermore, since a dedicated processing apparatus is used for image forming, the operational efficiency can be improved, and correspondence for each model of the equipment to be operated can be effected.
A twenty-fifth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to any one of the first, third or seventeenth gist, characterized in that the display control section is provided with a first information display mode for displaying only the information controlled in the guidance information control section on the display section, and a second information display mode for displaying the information including the image information formed by the image forming section on the display section, thereby enabling selection of one of these.
A twenty-sixth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the twenty-fourth gist, characterized in that the display control section is provided with a first information display mode for displaying only the information controlled in the guidance information control section on the display section, and a second information display mode for displaying the information including the image information formed by the image forming section on the display section, thereby enabling selection of one of these.
According to the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth gist of the present invention, it is possible to select information guidance by section of a static image or information guidance by section of a dynamic image, in compliance with the demands of the operator. Therefore, depending upon the preference of the operator or the environment of the place where the apparatus is installed, it becomes possible to change the display form of the information displayed for guidance on the display section on the operation panel.
A twenty-seventh gist of the present invention is an information display device according to any one of the first, third or seventeenth gist, characterized in that the image forming section is constituted so as to be added as an extended unit, and hence can be additionally operated selectively.
A twenty-eighth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the twenty-fourth gist, characterized in that the image forming section is constituted so as to be added as an extended unit, and hence can be additionally operated selectively.
A twenty-ninth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the twenty-fifth gist, characterized in that the image forming section is constituted so as to be added as an extended unit, and hence can be additionally operated selectively.
A thirtieth gist of the present invention is an information display device according to the twenty-sixth gist, characterized in that the image forming section is constituted so as to be added as an extended unit, and hence can be additionally operated selectively.
According to the twenty-seventh to the thirtieth gist of the present invention, since the image forming section is constituted so as to be added as an extended unit, and can be additionally operated selectively, it becomes possible to change the display form of the information displayed for guidance on the display section on the operation panel, depending upon the environment of the place where the apparatus is installed and/or the demands of a user. It is possible to change the information guidance by section of a static image to the information guidance by section of a dynamic image, depending upon the demands of a user, to thereby display the information for guidance, so as to be easy to understand and to eliminate a feeling of being hard to deal with the device.